Cancer-stricken Israeli man gave house to ex-wife — and regretted it

The Tel Aviv District Court rejected an appeal by a man with cancer who tried to cancel an agreement with his ex-wife. Under the terms of the document, he transferred all rights to their shared home in exchange for the cancellation of alimony debt. The court ruled that the man himself proposed the deal and signed it voluntarily, and that promises from the children do not constitute grounds for voiding the contract.

The Tel Aviv District Court rejected an appeal by a man with lung cancer who tried to cancel a property agreement with his ex-wife. Under the terms of the document, signed in June 2020, he transferred all rights to their shared home in exchange for the cancellation of alimony debt. The man argued that his severe physical and psychological condition prevented him from understanding the consequences, and that he agreed to the deal only because the children promised to provide him with housing. The judges ruled that the man himself proposed the agreement and signed it voluntarily, maintaining clarity of mind. The promises from the children, which he cited, were not mentioned in the document, and the ex-wife was unaware of them. The court also noted a significant delay in filing the lawsuit — the man sought to cancel the agreement about two years later, after the ex-wife applied for a permanent injunction barring him from entering the house. The man was ordered to pay 25,000 shekels to cover legal costs.